Centrally supported guard for an electric dry shaver



Jan. 21, 1969 L. OTTINA 3,422,530

CENTRALLY SUPPORTED GUARD FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER Filed Sept. 18,1967 Sheet of 2 u 151 hsal L 183 V 16 g a 157 g INVEN TOR Lure: OTTINAL. OTTINA Jan. 21, 1969 CENTRALLY SUPPORTED GUARD FOR AN ELECTRIC DRYSHAVER Sheet Filed Sept. 18 1967 Fig.5

INVENTOR LUIGI OTT/NA WMWWn/M W hfmuefs United States Patent 3,422,530CENTRALLY SUPPORTED GUARD FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER Luigi Ottina,Quartiere Diaz 20, Viareggio, Lucca, Italy Filed Sept. 18, 1967, Ser.No. 668,584 Claims priority, application Italy, Sept. 23, 1966,

22,077/ 66 US. Cl. 3043.6 2 Claims Int. Cl. B26b 19/16 ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This invention relates to a dry shaver, in particular anelectric dry shaver of a type having a cutting head with a substantiallyflat perforated guard, and a rotary cutter mounted for rotation inengagement with the inside face of the guard.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved dry shaver in whichdeformation of the guard during shaving is restricted.

According to the invention there is provided a dry shaver, driven by anelectric or other type of motor, and having a substantially-flatperforated guard supported at its periphery on a housing of the shaver,a rotary cutter bearing against the inside of the guard, and astationary column on which the cutter is mounted for rotation, saidcolumn extending through the cutter into juxtaposition with, and forminga stationary support for, the central portion of the guard.

One embodiment of the invention, given by way of example, will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the head portion of a dry shaverhaving a flat perforated guard;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1 with certain partsremoved;

FIG. 3 is a local section taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively a view taken along the line IVIV of FIG.1 with some parts removed, and an axial cross-section taken along theline V-V of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a support plate provided to hold astationary supporting column for the guard and of parts connected to theplate; and

FIG. 7 is a front perspective exploded view of the parts shown in FIG.6.

As shown in the drawing, the front portion of the dry shaver comprises ashaver housing member 151 provided with an externally-threadeddrum-shaped head portion 152 on to which is screwed a pair of concentricannuli 153 peripherally-supporting a perforated guard 154. The headportion 152 contains a central bore 152a for receiving the drive memberof a rotary cutter 156 whose independentlybiassed blades are arranged toslide against the inner surface of the guard 154. A drive shaft 157 fordriving the cutter 156 is driven by an electric motor output shaft 159through a pair of gears 161 and 162. The end of the shaft 157 adjacentthe head portion 152 is carried by an oscillatory bush support 163,engaged between two laminate, one of which is resilient.

A support plate 165 is accommodated in the internal 3,422,530 PatentedJan. 21, 1969 cavity of the head portion 152, the support plate beingfixed by screws, which are threaded into posts 167, extending rearwardlyfrom the head portion 152 (see FIG. 3), and is centered by locating pins169, also extending from the head portion 152. The support plate extendsparallel to the flat end wall of the head portion 152, between thelatter and the bush support 163. At the centre of the support plate 165and in alignment with the shaft 157, the plate 165 supports a stationarycolumn 171 which extends forwardly perpendicular to the plate throughthe central bore 152a of the head portion 152, terminating injuxtaposition to the central zone of the inner surface of the guard 154.At its end, the column 171 has a cap 173, which is secured to the end ofthe column 171 and forms a support for the central portion of the guard154, which is held in position at its periphery by the annuli 153.

A sleeve 175 is mounted for rotation on the column 171 being between thesupport plate 165 and the cap 173, the sleeve 175 having a portion 175aof hexagonal section or otherwise splined (see FIGS. 6 and 7), on towhich the cutter 156 can be removably fitted by axial movement, forrotation therewith. At its inner end, the sleeve 175 is integral with agear 177, by means of which the sleeve 175, and thus the cutter, isdriven. The drive from the drive shaft 157 is taken through the gear177, a gear 179 fixed to the shaft 157, a gear 181 on a transmissionshaft 183, carried by the support plate 165, and a gear fixed to theshaft 183 and meshing with the gear 177. The gear 177 is interposedbetween the fiat central wall of the head portion 152 and the supportplate 165.

In the shaver described above, the central support afforded to the guard154 avoids bending of the guard at its centre under the pressure of theskin during shaving, and this assists the correct operation of theblades of the cutter 156 and thus improves their cutting effect, sincethe cutting edge of each of the blades will lie along substantially itsentire length, in contact with the guard, or at least in better contactthan when the guard is unsupported at its centre and thus capable ofinward bending. As the support is fixed, it remains accuratelypositioned even after prolonged use and avoids the vibration and heatingwhich could result if the central support were formed by a rotary shaftsusceptible to hearing wear.

In the drawing, which illustrates only one embodiment of the invention,the guard is shown to be flat, but alternatively the guard could beformed with an outward curvature.

I claim:

1. A dry shaver comprising, in combination, a housing, a drive motordisposed within said housing, a perforated guard supported about itsperiphery on said housing, a rotary cutter operatively connected withsaid motor, means for rotatably mounting said cutter within said housingand for disposing said cutter in engagement with said guard, said meansmounting said cutter comprising a support plate secured to and disposedwithin said housing, a stationary column supported on said support plateand extending perpendicularly therefrom through said cutter intosupporting relationship with the central portion of said guard, andgearing forming a part of the operative connection between said motorand said cutter supported by said support plate.

2. A dry shaver, comprising, in combination, a housing having a fiathead wall, said head wall having a first surface facing outwardly fromsaid housing and a second surface facing inwardly into said housing, adriving motor disposed within said housing, a perforated guard supportedabout its periphery on said housing and spaced outwardly from the firstsurface of said head wall, a rotary cutter operatively connected withsaid motor and carrying blades independently urged resiliently againstsaid perforated guard, said rotary cutter disposed between said headwall and said guard, a support plate secured to said housing on thesecond surface side of said head wall, a stationary column supported onsaid support plate and extending therefrom through said head 'wall andsaid cutter into supporting relationship with the central portion ofsaid guard, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said column and extendingthrough said head Wall from the second surface side thereof to adjacentsaid guard, a drive gear integrally formed on the end of said sleevebetween said head Wall and said support plate, and said sleeve having asplined portion on its end adjacent said guard, the splined portionarranged for rotatably mounting said cutter whereby said cutter isremova-bly fitted thereon by axial movement relative to said sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Aronson 3043.6 X

Gold 3043,5 Lorenz 30-43.6

Konrad 30-43.6

Stone 30-435 Italy.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.

